System and method for creating a personalized user environment

ABSTRACT

A system and method of creating a personalized sounds and visuals environment to address a person&#39;s individual environment and state by receiving output from a plurality of sensors, the sensors detecting the activity of the user and the environment in which the user is active. Sounds and/or visuals to be transmitted to the user for listening and watching on the user&#39;s device are determined based on one or more of the sensor outputs, a user profile, a user mode, a user state, and a user context. The determined sounds and/or visuals are transmitted and presented to the user, and the determined sounds and/or visuals are automatically and dynamically modified in real time based on changes in the output from one or more of the plurality of sensors and/or changes in the user&#39;s profile.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/674,844, filed Nov. 5, 2019, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/755,725, filed Nov. 5, 2018, thedisclosures of which are incorporated herein its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND

Distractions and stress are naturally introduced in day-to-day living;and, often, technological innovations intended to improve the quality oflife often have a reverse effect with the difficulty, unreliability, andchange brought about by the innovation. Decisions have to be made;appointments have to be made and kept; bills have to be paid; meetingshave to be attended, projects have to be completed, reviewed, andrevised; phone calls have to be timely made and answered; newprocedures, technologies, and devices need to be implemented, anddistractions have to be overcome.

People attempt to deal with these stress-causing issues in a variety ofways, including ignoring them, exercising, reading a fiction book,mediation, and eating, just to name a few. However, many of theseattempts are ineffective because they cannot be utilized in the actualstressful circumstance or they are not responsive to the particularsource of stress or the evolving environment of the individual. What isneeded is a system for automatically and dynamically accessinginformation relevant to an individual's state and surroundings andpresent to the individual users a personalized transmission(s) of soundand/or visuals and/or a personalized control of the users' environmentfor focus or relaxation and preparing the individual users for their dayor helping them unwind after one.

SUMMARY

Embodiments are directed to a computer implemented method for creating apersonalized environment to address a person's individual environmentand state, including receiving output from a plurality of sensors, thesensors detecting the state of the user and the environment in which theuser is active, wherein the received sensor output provides informationon at least user location, user heartrate, user movement type, and userweather; determining from the sensors' output an actionable descriptionfor the user; and determining from the determined actionable descriptiona user mode, a user state, and a user context. The method furtherincludes determining from a user profile whether to present sounds,visuals, or both to the user; determining sounds and/or visuals to bepresented to the user based on one or more of the sensor outputs, thedetermined actionable user description, the determined user mode, thedetermined user state, and the determined user context; presenting thedetermined sounds and/or visuals to the user on a user device; andautomatically modifying the determined sounds and/or visuals based onchanges in the output from one or more of the plurality of sensors.

Additional embodiments are directed to a system for creating apersonalized environment to address a person's individual environmentand state, including a network sounds/visuals server; a computerreadable medium; and a processor coupled to the computer readablemedium. The processor is operative to receive output from a plurality ofsensors, the sensors detecting the state of the user and the environmentin which the user is active, wherein the received sensor output providesinformation on at least user location, user heartrate, user movementtype, and user weather; determine from the sensors' output an actionabledescription for the user; and determine from the determined actionabledescription a user mode, a user state, and a user context. The processoris further operative to determine from a user profile whether to presentsounds, visuals, or both to the user; determine sounds and/or visuals tobe presented to the user based on one or more of the sensor outputs, thedetermined actionable user description, the determined user mode, thedetermined user state, and the determined user context; present thedetermined sounds and/or visuals to the user on a user device; andautomatically modify the determined sounds and/or visuals based onchanges in the output from one or more of the plurality of sensors.

Further embodiments are directed to a computer readable medium, notincluding a signal, having computer readable instructions stored thereonwhich, when executed by a processor, provide for creating a personalizedenvironment to address a person's individual environment and state, theinstructions executing on a processor of a computer, including the stepsof receiving output from a plurality of sensors, the sensors detectingthe state of the user and the environment in which the user is active,wherein the received sensor output provides information on at least userlocation, user heartrate, user movement type, and user weather;determining from the sensors' output an actionable description for theuser; and determining from the determined actionable description a usermode, a user state, and a user context. Additional steps provide fordetermining from a user profile whether to present sounds, visuals, orboth to the user; determining sounds and/or visuals to be presented tothe user based on one or more of the sensor outputs, the determinedactionable user description, the determined user mode, the determineduser state, and the determined user context; presenting the determinedsounds and/or visuals to the user on a user device; and automaticallymodifying the determined sounds and/or visuals based on changes in theoutput from one or more of the plurality of sensors.

Additional embodiments of the present application are directed to asystem and method for creating a personalized environment to address aperson's individual stress and/or state, including receiving output froma plurality of sensors, the sensors detecting the activity of the userand the environment in which the user is active; determining from theplurality of sensors' output an actionable description for the user; anddetermining from the determined actionable description a user mode, auser state, and a user context. The system and method also includedetermining a sound to be broadcast to the user based on one or more ofthe sensor outputs, the determined actionable user description, thedetermined user mode, the determined user state, and the determined usercontext; presenting the determined broadcast sound to the user; andautomatically modifying the determined broadcast sound based on changesin the output from one or more of the plurality of sensors. Embodimentscan also determine visuals representation to be broadcast to the userwith the broadcast sound or instead of the broadcast sound, forpresenting visual images and colors in motion to the user. Additionalembodiments direct signals to control lights and temperature of theuser's environment, based on the determined mode, state, and context ofthe user.

Further, embodiments provide for personalization of sounds and visualsto be presented to benefit a user, and the presentation of suchpersonalized sounds and visuals and environmental control can bepresented to the user on any device or platform at the user's locationin real time. The presentation of sounds and visuals are personalizedbased on sensor information related to the user and based on userprofile and preference information.

Current embodiments improve over prior mood creating and alteringtechniques by selecting individual notes, sounds, colors, images, andanimations for automatic and dynamic presentation to the user with nouser input at the time that changes to the user are needed or requested.No actual music or sound tracks are needed, nor any playlist designatedby the user or offered by a system for the user to select is needed.Further, the system dynamically responds to changes in received sensorinput to modify the sounds, visuals, and/or environment being madeavailable to the user for positively affecting the mode, state, andcontext of the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention has other features and advantages which will beapparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanyingdrawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following DetailedDescription, which together serve to explain certain principles of thepresent invention and to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art tomake and use the embodiments disclosed herein. In the drawings, likereference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example architecture of a network for implementinga method for creating a personalized sound, video, lighting, andtemperature environment for a user.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the steps for creating a personalizedsound, video, lighting, and temperature environment for a user.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing sensor inputs to a processor forprocessing raw input data for determining an actionable user descriptionrepresentative of a user's state.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing library inputs based on a determineduser's state for sequencing sound and visual media for presentation tothe user.

FIG. 5 shows the selection and flow of information for creating soundand visual output for presentation to the user.

FIG. 6 shows a diagram of the sound layers that are responsive to auser's mode, state, and context.

FIG. 7 shows a chart of a sound layers for presentation to a user basedon user mode and sensory and environmental inputs.

FIG. 8 shows application of circadian rhythims to sounds and visualspresented to the user based on sensor information.

FIG. 9 shows application of the presentation of sounds and visuals onmultiple user devices.

FIGS. 10-13 show exemplary visuals displays presented to the user forviewing on the user device based on sensor information.

It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarilyto scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of variousfeatures illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. Thespecific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein,including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations,and shapes can be determined in part by persons of ordinary skill in theart for the particular intended application and use environments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Although the described embodiments can be implemented in any appropriatetype of network system supporting any suitable data transmission andpresentation standards and using any suitable components, particularembodiments can be implemented in an exemplary network such as shown inFIG. 1. Alternately, embodiments can be performed on a user device 114upon receipt of sensor outputs and user inputs for presentation ofsounds and visuals to the user and control of the lighting andtemperature of the user's environment.

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown an exemplary architecture of anetwork and system for implementing a method for creating a personalizedsound, visual, lighting, and temperature environment for a user. Thenetwork 102 across which transmissions of information, data, sound,visual images, and control signals in exemplary embodiments occur, caninclude any private or public, wired or wireless network, including butnot limited to Local Area Networks, Wide Area Networks, the Internet,the World Wide Web, radio frequency (RF), Bluetooth, and a Cloud-basednetwork. There is shown an exemplary network sounds/visuals server 104and one or more databases and/or storage devices 106, 108, and 110.There may be more servers, more databases, and more storage devices 110than those displayed in FIG. 1, with the servers minimally configuredwith memory, storage media, at least one processor, communicationresources, and with databases and files being external to or integratedwith the servers. There are one or more user devices 114-120, platforms,or channels, for utilizing the personalized sounds/visuals system andfor the presentation of personalized sounds and/or visuals to individualusers. For convenience and not limitation, users are collectivelyrepresented as a smart phone 114. The system 100 can effect the analysisof sensor data, environmental information, user input, and librarysounds and visuals; and transmission of personalized sounds and/orvisuals to users of devices 114 through the network sounds/visualsserver 104 and network 102. Additionally, the system 100 can effectcontrol of the user's environment by receiving lighting and temperaturesensors output and sending signals to lights and a heating device or anair conditioner proximate to the user for controlling the lighting andtemperature in the user's environment for positively affecting theuser's mode, state, and/or context. The system can determine whether thelighting and the temperature should be increased or lowered based on atleast the received sensor outputs and can generate and transmit controlsignals to the devices 126 controlling the lighting and the temperatureat the user's location. Alternately, such lighting and temperaturechanges can first be presented to the user for acknowledgement and/orapproval before transmitting the control signals to the devices to becontrolled. The control signals can be transmitted by suchcommunications as Bluetooth or wifi. The personalized sounds/visualssystem 100 extends to software, programs, and routines within storagemedia on each of the user devices and network server.

The user devices 114 for receiving, playing, and displaying thepersonalized sounds and/or visuals are representatively shown as a smartphone 114, a cell phone 116, a portable tablet or laptop computer 118,and a desktop computer 120. Examples of user devices 114 include, butare not limited to, wireless user equipment and communication devices,such as, for example, mobile telephones, smart phones, personal digitalassistants, electronic readers, portable electronic tablets, personalcomputers, and laptop computers. Each representative user device 114minimally comprises a processor, a memory coupled to the processor,computer readable media, facilities for entering information into theuser device 114, and an antenna or other wired or wireless connectiondevice coupled to the processor for receiving and transmittinginformation, messages, commands or instructions, sounds and/or visuals.A display on the user device 114 can include touch screen technology forthe entry of user information required by the system and informationrelated to the environment, including location, of the user. Theinformation can be entered, for example and not limitation, in text formor by touching action buttons displayed on the screen or integrated withthe body of the user device 114. Alternately, user entry of informationcan be through use of a physical or touch screen keyboard or by voice.

Output and readings from a plurality of sensor devices 112 are receivedby the sounds/visuals system 100, and particularly by the networksounds/visuals server 104. The information and data received from thesensor devices 112 include information related to the user and theenvironment in which the user is situated. This sensor data is utilizedto assist with selection of sounds and visuals to present to the userand for determining lighting and temperature changes, as discussed inmore detail below.

The sounds/visuals system 100 alternately includes one or more receiverdevices 122 and 124 for receiving information and commands from the userdevices 114. These receiver devices are collectively represented as acomputer 122. The receiver devices 122 can be any type of computingdevice having communications and display facilities in the same mannerof the user devices 114. One to many receiver devices 122 are incommunication with the system 100 and can communicate from a pluralityof different devices and via a plurality of different communicationprotocols, as described above regarding the remote user device 114.While FIG. 1 shows all communications being directed to the networksounds/visuals server 104, exemplary embodiments are not so limited; andcommunications can be provided directly through the network 102 betweenthe user devices 114 and the receiver devices 122 for receivinginformation from the user devices 114 and presenting sounds/visuals tothe user devices 114.

Exemplary embodiments are implemented on the network sounds/visualsserver 104 and on the computers of the user devices 114 and, alternatelyon the receiver devices 122. Computer readable and executableinstructions, or software, are provided for directing the processing ofthe computers of the exemplary devices 114, 122, and 104, includingprocessing the steps of exemplary embodiments of the sounds/visualssystem 100. The computer executable instructions, when executed by thecomputers 114, 122, and 104 and/or the processors associated with eachof said computers, provide for the presentation of personalized soundsand/or visuals to the user devices 114 and the control of the user'senvironment.

One or more storage devices 106, 108, and 110 are provided for storageof information regarding resources available for composing sounds andvisuals to be presented to the user devices 114. This informationincludes, but is not limited to, user profiles, note sequence files, rawaudio files, files of single note sounds, sound tones, sounds frommusical instruments, visual images, and visual images in various shapes,colors, and animations. The stored information can also include pastsounds and visuals presented to the user and past control informationtransmitted to control the lighting and temperature in the user'senvironment. The storage devices can retain data and information asfiles, libraries, and directories, for example. Access to and usage thisinformation to compose sounds and visuals to be presented to the user isdiscussed in more detail below.

Computer readable media includes computer storage media, which includesvolatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable mediaimplemented in any method or technology for the storage of information,including computer readable instructions, data structures, displaytemplates, and responder information. Computer storage media includes,but is not limited to magnetic media (e.g., a hard disk), non-transitorymemory, optical media (e.g., a DVD), memory devices (e.g., random accessmemory), and the like. In some embodiments, computer readableinstructions are configured such that, when executed by a processor, theinstructions causes the processors of the exemplary computers 114, 122,and 104 to perform steps described below of the sounds/visuals system(e.g., steps described below with reference to the flow chart shown inFIG. 2). In other embodiments, the exemplary computers 114, 122, and 104are configured to perform steps described below without the need forinstructions. Therefore, the features of the present embodimentsdescribed herein may be implemented in any suitable combination ofhardware and/or software. Computer storage media does not include acarrier wave or any other propagated data signal.

Embodiments of the disclosed system and method create a personalizedsounds, visuals, lighting, and/or temperature environment to help a userrelax and focus. Relax mode is designed to provide soothingsounds/visuals to calm a user's mind and induce a feeling of comfort andsafety. Focus mode will help the user speed up productivity and assistwith longer concentration. On the Go, or energizing, mode enhances theuser's walks and runs by adapting to the personal speed of the user.Sleep mode generates personalized white noise to put the user into adeep sleep.

In one embodiment, the methodology for generating personalized soundenvironments for users is based on circadian rhythms, pentatonic scale,and sound masking. The generated sounds, visuals, and control signalsautomatically adapt, without any user input, to different inputs, suchas time of day, weather, heart rate, and location. The process beginswith the user opening an application on the user's device. The user'sdevice is preferably a portable device connected to a network such asthe Internet. However, the disclosed system and method will perform wellon a user device that is not connected to a network or on a user devicethat is not portable, with local storage files, media, and software.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a flowchart of a method forcomposing and presenting personalized sounds and visuals to a user andfor controlling the user's environment, based on that user's environmentand state. The present invention provides a method for creating apersonalized environment to address a person's individual environment,mode or needed mode, state, and context, including receiving andanalyzing sensor data representative of a user's environment and stateand utilizing the analyzed data with libraries of sounds and visuals tocompose and present to the user a dynamic, personalized stream of soundsand/or visuals. The sounds to be presented to the user are comprised ofa created composition of notes, sounds, and instrument sounds inmultiple combinations and layers. This sounds presentation is incontrast to presenting known music scores or a music playlist for userselection and/or listening. Correspondingly, the visuals to be presentedto the user are comprised of a creation of colors, random shapes,images, and the animations and flows of such colors, shapes and images.In some embodiments, the visuals created for presentation to the usercan be similar to the images seen in a rotating kaleidoscopeHereinafter, the steps of this method will be described in detail.

At step 202, the application presents a number of questions andcategories to the user to establish a user profile, the profile mayinclude user preferences, such as related to music, genre, sound,activities, vocation, avocations, images, colors, and weather. Thesystem builds a profile of the user based on the received userinformation in response to the questions and selected categories. Theuser can change the profile at will upon identified authorization.

At step 204, a request is received from the user to receive soundsand/or visuals from the system, based on the user's environment andstate. The request can indicate whether sounds, visuals, or both arerequested. The request can also indicate particular user-relatedenvironmental or state information, such as the user requestingsounds/visuals for a certain period of time and/or the user expresslyrequesting sounds/visuals to provide relax, focus, or On the Go (orenergizing) modes for the user. Alternately, the user's profile canprovide this information. Also, the user can establish a profile thatinstructs the system to automatically initiate presentation ofsounds/visuals at a particular time of day or day of the week, or upondetermining a particular state of the user, such as a high heartrate orblood pressure, or prolonged driving.

At step 206, and referring also to FIGS. 3, 5, 8, and 9, the applicationreceives the outputs from sensors 112 and from the user; and from thoseoutputs can determine an actionable description for the user. Such anactionable description includes a user mode, a user state, a usercontext, and a user physical environment. Based on the user's determinedactionable description, the system can determine the user's status andcan determine sounds, visuals, lighting changes, and temperature changesto positively impact the user. The sensors 112 can provide locationinformation, such as from a global positioning receiver (GPS) on theuser's device 114. The received GPS information can be continual suchthat the system can determine whether the user is stationary, walking,running, or driving. With this information, the system can partiallydetermine the sounds/visuals to present to the user and/or how to changethe lighting and temperature for the user. For example, a stationarystate of the user suggests the user may be at work; and the systemselects focus-related sounds/visuals for presentation. Similarly, if theuser is determined to be walking or running, energizing (i.e., upbeat)sounds/visuals can be selected for presentation. Alternately, the usermay have established a profile indicating that relaxing sounds/visualsare preferred for walking. If the user is determined to be driving,based on the speed and the path whereby the GPS signals are changing andby traffic information input, a combination of relaxing and focusingsounds/music can be selected for presentation. Also, the system can sendcontrol signals to affect the lighting and temperature of the user'senvironment while driving. Further, the location information candetermine to which channel or platform to transmit the sounds/visuals tothe user, such as the user's work computer, the user's portable phone,or the user's home computer. The system is adaptable to provide apersonalized sounds, visuals, and/or control signals delivery to a userover a network or a cloud-based service regardless of where the user islocated or moving toward. Parameters can be established to weight therelative importance and impact of the outputs from the sensors based onthe user profile and preferences, perhaps, for example, giving moresignificance to heartrate and blood pressure for an older user.

The sensors 112 can also provide the physical information, such as theheartrate and/or the blood pressure, of the user. The heartrateinformation, coupled with other sensor data, helps the system determinethe user's state and the user's changing state (such as when theheartrate increases or decreases). The system can compare the user'sheartrate against a medical standard for persons of the user's profile,such as age, weight, and exercise regiment, or from an accumulatedhistory of the user's heartrate. This comparison can suggest the user ismore or less stressed, is engaged in more or less strenuous activity, ismore or less relaxed; and the system can dynamically adjust thesounds/visuals presented to the user and lighting/temperature controlsto provide an environment to relax the user, cause the user to betterfocus, to help energize the user, and to help the user fall asleep.Similarly, the user's blood pressure, if elevated compared to a standardor the user's history, can signal a stressful condition for whichsoothing or relaxed sounds/visuals should be presented.

Other sensors 112 provide weather data, knowing that high winds, excesstemperatures (high or low), bright or diminished light, and rapidlychanging barometric pressure can affect an individual's mood and stresslevel. In recognition of the environment in which the user isfunctioning, the system can provide sounds/visuals, lighting controls,and/or temperature controls to counter the user's environmental effect,such as providing energizing sounds/visuals and/or transmitting controlsignals to increase lighting in response to low light, or sensing theuser is indoors based on sensing indoor lighting or GPS signals andsending control signals to adjust the temperature.

Further sensors 112 provide data regarding the user's steps, cadence,and movement type. Such information helps determine what the user isdoing, in addition to the more global GPS data. This information canhelp specifically determine whether the user is walking in a relaxedmanner, rushing to get to an appointment on time, climbing stairs,sitting at a desk, or running. This information, coupled with time anddate information from a clock sensor can help determine when the user ismoving related to work, running in the morning or evening, or sitting athome relaxing. The various sensor information helps the system determinethe environment in which the user is functioning and the state of theuser—all performed dynamically without expressly asking the user toprovide this information. The system responds to this information byautomatically selecting sounds/visuals and lighting and temperaturecontrols for improving the user's circumstance, by providing relaxing,motivating, energizing, on the go, etc. sounds/visuals and environment.

The received sensor information can be stored in a storage device 106,108, or 110, along with determined sounds and visuals presented to theuser for a library of data for subsequent analysis and presentation tothe user. For example, the stored heartrate data can be compared to theuser's current heartrate to determine whether the user's currentheartrate is elevated or low. Further, past presented sounds and visualscan be labeled for subsequent presentation under similar user states ifthe past presented sounds and visuals were designated at beingsuccessful as, for example, providing relaxing, motivating, soothing, orenergizing sounds and visuals, as determined by subsequent user commentor behavior.

At step 208, an actional description of the user is determined based onthe user input, the user profile, and the sensor outputs. The user'smode, state, and/or context is determined based on analysis of thereceived sensor information and, alternately, information in the user'sprofile. As discussed above, the analyzed sensor data and profile datacan determine whether the user is stressed, is relaxed, is at work, isat home, is at the gym, needs to relax, needs to focus, needs to beenergized, and so on. Additionally, the user can provide input tospecify her state or context, can permit the system to providesounds/visuals appropriate to her state or context, or can expresslyrequest the type of sounds/visuals to be presented. The state of theuser relates to mental and physical condition of the user, such asstressed, relaxed, asleep, running, needing to focus, and so on. Thecontext of the user relates to the environment of the user, such aswhether the user is at work, outside, or outside; what the weather isfor the user, what the date and time of day is, and what is the lightinglevel and the temperature of the user's environment. The combineddetermined mode, state, and context of the user can be referred to asthe user status.

At step 210, based on the user's determined or specified status, thesystem extracts sounds and visuals from a storage library or librariesfor creating sounds and visuals for presentation to the user, based onthe user's profile and specified input. Referring also to FIGS. 4 and 5,and as explained above regarding step 202, raw inputs 502 are receivedfrom the user to be processed and create a user profile 506. From theuser profile, user input, and/or the sensor information, a motion andmode of the user is determined, as shown at 510-514. While not shown inFIGS. 2-5, the system also analyzes the user's status to determinewhether changes should be made regarding the lighting and temperature ofthe user's environment and can generate and transmit control signals toeffect changes in the lighting and/or temperature of the user'senvironment.

The system at step 212 accesses a library of note sequence files 402divided by intensity. The note sequence files are random musical scoresof note sequences, typically of 10-20 second duration that can berepeated continuously until the presentation is terminated by time, by adetermined change user state or context, or by user request. Theselected score(s) is selected or created by the software or firmware ofthe note generator engine 404, which also determines the sequence of thenotes and the duration of the notes sequences, based on the determineduser's state or context. As discussed above, the selection of notesequences can dynamically change as the received sensor informationchanges or is refreshed, reflecting changes in the user's environment,state, or context. For example, the user's heartrate or blood pressurecan determine the tempo of the note sequences in the form of note beatsper minute, with a slower tempo presented when the user's blood pressureis relatively high or when the user is determined to be under stress.Alternately, if the system determines, based on movement, GPS, and/orheartrate that the user is running, the system can increase the tempo ofthe notes presented to the user. For example, the tempo can begin at55-70 beats per minute and increase to 100 beats per minute or more toenergize the user while running or working out.

At step 214, the note generator 404 additionally determines, based onrules and past successful presentations to the user, which notes can besequenced together or one after another. For example, notes of extremelydiffering pitches, tone, or sound are not sequenced together to providerelaxing or soothing sounds; whereas such contrasts can be useful toprovide energizing sounds. Based on which notes are known to worktogether under the rules and past presentations, the sound generator 404can create sequences of up to 40 notes which can be presented repeatedlyor can be resequenced to provide a presentation variety or in responseto changing sensor information.

The third source of sounds is selected at step 216 from a sound library406 comprised of raw audio files of single notes. Again, the determinedstate, context, and/or user profile will determine the particular notes.For example, notes at the lower end of the musical scale can be moresoothing and are selected by the system for presenting soothing orrelaxing sounds. The various notes in the musical scale can bechromatically mapped to instruments sounds for having availableinstrument sounds for each scaled note.

A fourth source of sounds is selected at step 218 from a library ofsample sounds 408, based on the determined user state, context, and/orprofile. These sample sounds can include sounds from nature, white noisesounds, and sounds from musical instruments. These sounds could be up toseveral minutes in duration, and again are selected based on thedetermined state, context, and/or user profile. For example, a trumpetsound can be selected for a more energized sound for presenting to auser who is running or needs motivation. The sounds from multiplesamples can be selected for presentation to a user.

Each of the note sequences and notes from steps 212-216 can be viewed asa layer of sounds, with one or more layers being presented to the user.Additional layers are available by applying the note sequences and notesfrom steps 212-216 to the selected instruments of step 218. At step 220,and also refering to FIGS. 6 and 7, particular sound layers 704 areselected and combined by a real time mixer 410 for presenting sounds tothe user. The particular layers are selected based on a set of rulesguiding the selection such that, as discussed above, the particularselected notes and instruments are appropriate for the determined usermode, state, user context, or user preferences and profile. Layers arealso selected such that the layers of the combined output do not clashwith each other in terms of tempo and intensity. The selected layers aresequenced together at step 222 for presentation to the user on the userdevice 114.

At step 224, the combined layers of sounds 520 are presented to the userfor listening by the user. Visuals are created, combined, and presentedto the user for viewing by the user. Lighting and/or temperature controlsignals are transmitted to the lighting and heating/cooling devicesproximate to the user's location, either with or without the user'sacknowledgement or authorization. As with the sounds, the visuals areselected from storage libraries 518 and animated and colored based onthe user's state, context, and/or preferences. When both sounds 520 andvisuals 524 are presented to the user, they are presented simultaneouslyat step 224 such that the sound notes, tempo, and intensity areconsistent with and match the colors, images, speed, and animation ofthe visuals. FIGS. 10-13 show exemplary visuals as presented on theuser's device 114. However, as discussed below, there are circumstancesbased on sensor information and/or user input when visuals are nottransmitted to be presented to the user.

The system can also determine the volume by which the sounds are to bepresented to the user. The user device 114 can include a microphone todetect a single sound, a combination of sounds, a combination of soundsand music, and a combination including human speech. For example, themicrophone can be utilized to measure sound levels in the user's spaceand react to sudden volume changes, either raising or lowering thesounds volume to permit continued listening by the user. A detection ofa new human voice can trigger a reduction in the sounds volume to permitthe user to conduct a conversation without being distracted by thepresented sounds.

At step 226, the system dynamically determines that information receivedfrom one or more sensors has changed and warrants a change in the soundsand/or visuals being transmitted for presentation to the user or in thecontrols for adjusting the lighting or temperature of the user's space.For example, the location of the user has changed, and the GPS datashows the user driving from her gym to her home. Accordingly, the systemchanges the sounds to be more focused and relaxed, to address theattention the user needs for traffic and for preparing for a relaxedtime at home after working out. No visuals are transmitted forpresentation to the user because the system recognizes the user isdriving and needs to focus on traffic. Alternately, the user can specifyor the system can determine the user is on a public transportationroute, and receiving and viewing visuals is not a problem. Similarly,the system can determine or be instructed by the user to present onlysounds at work or whereever a visual presentation would be distractingor inappropriate, such as during a meeting or while on a telephoneconference. Steps 210-226 are performed automatically, without humaninput, based at least on the determined user state and context.

The sounds/visuals system is dynamic in that it continues to receivesensor data and user input and automatically adjusts the sounds/visualspresented to the user and control signals transmitted as the sensor dataand/or user input change. The system can constantly receive output fromthe sensors, store the sensor output, and compare the recently receivedsensor output against prior stored sensor output, sensor by sensor. Ifthe output for a particular sensor has changed significantly for thatparticular sensor, the system can compare the degree and direction ofchange against its rules and, alternately, against the user's profileand preferences. If the sensor output has changed to the extent towarrant changes to the sounds and/or visuals to be presented to the useror to the transmitted lighting or temperature control system, the systemcan update its output and transmit modified sounds, visuals, and/orcontrol signals. For example, the user's heartrate increasing while theuser remains stationary suggests the user is becoming more stressed, andthe system automatically begins composing and presenting more relaxingsounds/visuals. Similarly, the user's GPS signals indicating the user isno longer driving and has arrived at home or at a gym suggests relaxingsounds/visuals to be presented (relaxing at home) or energizingsounds/visuals (working out at the gym). Further, lighting sensors ortime of day can signal that the user could benefit increased lighting,thereby triggering the generation and transmission of a lighting controlsignal to increase the lighting in the user's environment.

The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of thepresent invention have been presented for purposes of illustration anddescription. They are not intended to be exhaustive nor to limit theinvention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously manymodifications and variations are possible in light of the aboveteachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in orderto explain certain principles of the invention and their practicalapplication, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make andutilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as wellas various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended thatthe scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto andtheir equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer implemented method for creating apersonalized environment to address a person's individual environmentand state, comprising: receiving output from a plurality of sensors, thesensors detecting the state of the user and the environment in which theuser is active, wherein the received sensor output provides informationon at least user location, user heartrate, user movement type, and userweather; determining from the sensors' output an actionable descriptionfor the user; determining from the determined actionable description auser mode, a user state, and a user context; determining from a userprofile whether to present sounds, visuals, or both to the user;determining sounds and/or visuals to be presented to the user based onone or more of the sensor outputs, the determined actionable userdescription, the determined user mode, the determined user state, andthe determined user context; presenting the determined sounds and/orvisuals to the user on a user device; and automatically modifying thedetermined sounds and/or visuals based on changes in the output from oneor more of the plurality of sensors.